Stringed musical instrument.



No. 643,452. Patented Feb. 13, I900. A, E. BARK.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sh.eatsSheet I.

WITNESSES.

AMI/W1 i 6 By I A TTOHNEYS.

m: mums vanes 00., IHUTOUTHG,WASHINGTON, n r.

No. 643,452. Patented Fab. I3, I900. A. E. BARK. STBINGED MUSICALINSTRUMENT.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1 899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

INVENTOI? S m E w W By g A TTOHNEYS.-

: Nouns PETER: no, mom umo UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREIV EMIL BARK, OF KALISPELL, MONTANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERTNORDTOME, OF SAME PLACE.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

srncrmeArron forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,452, dated February13, 1900.

Application filed February 28, 1899. Serial No. 707,167. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern: I is provided with ahandle K'extending withBe it known that I, ANDREW EMIL BARK, its forward end above the plane ofthe strings; of Kalispell, in the county of Flathead and so as to bewithin convenient reach of the op- State of Montana, have invented a newand erator, the handles when in a normal down- 5 Improved StringedMusical Instrument, of ward position holding the flat surfaces of thewhich the following is a full, clear, and exact bridge-bars on the top;but when the handles description. are thrown upward into a verticalposition, as The object of the invention is to provide cershown in Fig.4, then the said bridge-bars are tain new and useful improvementsinstringed turned in the bearing H to engage the under I a musicalinstruments, such as citherns or the side of the corresponding group ofstrings like, whereby the pitch of all the strings in a and raise thepitch thereof one-half note. The group of strings or only a few thereofcan be several bridge-bars I abut against oneanreadilyraisedorlowered,according to the muother, the outermostbridgebars abutting sic to be executed. against brackets H on thebearing H. I 5 The invention consists of novel features and In thebearing H are arranged similar movparts and combinations of the same, aswill able auxiliary bridges K, made of half-round be fully describedhereinafter and then pointbars, the ends K being round and engaged edout in the claims. by bearings J and each bar having an arm Apracticalembodiment of my invention is K under the control of the operator. When2o represented in the accompanying drawings, a bridge-arm K is swungupward, the bridge forming a part of this specification, in which Kengages the strings of the corresponding similar characters of referenceindicate corgroup and raises the pitch thereof a half-tone respondingparts in all the views. over that previously given by the precedingFigure 1 is aplan view of the improvement. bridge I or one full tonefrom the bridge D. 25 Fig.2 is a sectional side elevation of the same Inthe bearing H are held movable auxilon the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 31san enlarged iary bridges L in the shape of round bars fragmentalperspective view of part of the formed with notches L for some of theimprovement, and Fig. 4 is a like view of the strings in the group, eachbar being provided same with parts in a diiferent position. at its endwith a handle L normally stand- 0 The improved stringedmusicalinstrument ing in a horizontal position, the notches L isprovided witha suitable body A, carryinga being turned to one side, sothat all the soundingboard B, having transverselyexstrings in'the grouprest on the bridge. When tending bridges D D, over which is stretchedthe handle L of a bridge is swung into a verthe group of melody-stringsEand the group tical position, then the notches L of this 5 ofaccompaniment-strings F F F F The bridge come on top to release thecorrespondstrings are secured at their ends to the fixed ing strings inthe group from the bridge, so pegs G and the tuning-pegs G. Adjacent tothat the string vibrates from the adjacent the bridge D are arrangedspaced transfixed bridge D. The bridges L are so locatedversely-extending bearings H H, held on the relatively to the bridge Dthat the pitch is 0 4o sounding-board B, and a similar bearing H raisedone-half tone; but when the correis arranged on asounding-bridgeadjacent to sponding arm L is swung into a vertical pothe bridge I). vsition then' the pitch of the strings passing In the bearin g H,which ispreferably formed into the notches L is lowered one-half tone. on topwith a semicircular groove, are mount- By the arrangement described thechord 5 45 ed to turn the auxiliary bridges I, one for represented by agroup of strings E, F, F, F each group of strings E F F F F Each or F ischanged to a different chord when bridge I is made in the form of ahalf-round swinging the corresponding arm or handle L bar, the fiatsurface of which is normally on into a vertical position, so that therange of top, the ends I being rounded, so as to be enthe instrument isgreatly increased, in addi I00 50 gaged by bearings J in the form ofsprings setion to the change of pitch of all the strings cured to thebridge D. One end of each bridge in a group, by means of the movableauxiliary bridges I and K. The usual fret-board N extends from thebearing H a suitable distance under the group of melody-strings E, asindicated in Fig. 1.

Having thus fully described myinvention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. A stringed musical instrument, comprising abody having a sounding board, fixed bridges, one at each end of thesoundingboard, strings arranged in groups and extending over thebridges, a rocking bridge for each group of strings arranged adjacent toone of the fixed bridges and serving to increase the pitch of all thestrings of the group, and a rocking bridge for each group of stringsarranged adjacent to the other fixed bridge and serving to decrease thepitch of some of the strings of the group, substantially as described.

12. A stringed musical instrument, comprising a body having asounding-board, fixed bridges, groups of strings extending over thebridges, three rocking bridges for each group of strings, two of thebridges being arranged adjacent to one another and to one of the fixedbridges, and each serving to increase the pitch of all the strings ofthe group, the other rocking bridge being adjacent to the other fixedbridge and serving to decrease the pitch of some of the strings of thegroup and thereby change the chord represented by the said group ofstrings, substantially as described.

3. A stringed musical instrument, comprising a body having asounding-board, fixed bridges, groups of melody and accompanimentstrings extending over the said bridges, two transverse bearingsadjacent to one bridge, a third bearing adjacent to the other bridge,and a series of movable bridges, one

for each group of strings, mounted to rock in each of the bearings, eachof the movable bridges at one end serving to change the pitch of all thestrings in the group, and the movable bridges at the other end servingto de crease the pitch of some of the strings of the group and therebychange the chord represented by said group, substantially as hereinshown and described.

4:. In a stringed musical instrument, the combination With thesounding-board, and a transverse bearing extending across the same andformed with a semicircular groove in its top, of a plurality of movablebridges arranged end to end in the groove of the bearing and mounted toturn therein, each bridge consisting of a notched bar provided with ahandle at one end, substantially as described.

5. In a stringed musical instrument, the combinationWithasounding-board,ofatransverse bearing extending across the same andformed with a semicircular groove in its top, a plurality of bridges inthe groove of the bearing and each consisting of a notched bar providedwith ahandle at one end, and springs extending across the ends of thebridges and holding them in the groove of the bearing, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a musical instrument, a bearing having a semicircular groove inits top, and a bridge formed of a round bar having its middle portioncut away, and provided with a handle at one end, and springs engagingthe ends of the bridge to hold it in the groove of the bearing,substantially as described.

ANDREW 'EMIL BARK.

Witnesses:

CHARLES W. PoMERoY, ERNST NACHSMITH.

